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Ralph Smith

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[SEPT. 26, 2006]  LeROY -- Ralph Ewing Smith, 73, of LeRoy, died Sunday, Sept. 24, 2006, at 3:35 p.m. at ManorCare Health Services, Normal.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Calvert-Belangee-Bruce Funeral Home, 101 W. Center St. in LeRoy.

His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the First United Presbyterian Church of LeRoy. Pastor Paul deJong will officiate.

Burial, with military rites, will be in Richmond Grove Cemetery, New Holland.

Mr. Ewing worked for several different telephone companies and consulting firms and ran his own business in cable television and telephone work at various locations throughout the United States.

He served in the Illinois National Guard and the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was discharged in 1953.

He was born Jan. 17, 1933, in LeRoy to John Lee and Lottie Mason Smith. He married Grace Brinner on June 5, 1955, at the New Holland Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

He is survived by his wife, in LeRoy; two sons, Russ (and Heidi) Smith of Pasadena, Calif., and Benn (and Agnes) Smith of Las Vegas, Nev.; one daughter, Megg (and Mike) Beverage of Normal; grandchildren Joel, Joshua, Joyanne and Jocelyn Smith, Arianna Smith, Blair, Brittany, and Brandy Broker; stepgrandchildren Vic, Adam and Lorissa Rivera, Bob Beverage, and Chad Broker; and step-great-grandchildren Derek Rivera and Jo Beverage; his brothers-in-law, Claude (and Nancy) Brinner and Don (and Joan) Kunkler; five nephews; one niece; several great-nieces and great-nephews; and many cousins in LeRoy.

He was a registered professional engineer and a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers and American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He taught seminars at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Lincoln, Neb., and Pleasant Ridge while he was working as general depreciation manager at the Centel corporate office in Chicago.

He was a member of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church.

While his sons were growing up, he was active in Boy Scouts as a scoutmaster.

He graduated from LeRoy High School in 1951. In high school he was active in sports, class plays and was a class officer. He graduated from Tri-State University in 1957 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering.

He enjoyed drawing buildings and old cars as well as reciting poetry and telling jokes.

Memorials may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.

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